The Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Community Science, Central Agricultural University, Tura, observed World Food Day on the 17th of October, 2022 at their campus premises. Miss Chenxiang Rimchi N Marak, Senior Associate of NESFAS presented the NESFAS experience on the occasion. Dr Jyothi V. Vastrad, Dean of the College, Dr Natasha R Marak, Dr Kh. Aimol, and Dr Chingakham Basanti Devi were some of the faculty members of the college who were present during the programme.
Miss Marak, who happens to be an alumna of the college, spoke on the importance of food security, thereby throwing light on the years’ motto, “Leave No One Behind”. She stressed on dietary diversity and the role of wild edibles which can be incorporated to meet our daily nutritional requirements. In an age where technology is taking over rapidly, explaining the need to preserve traditional knowledge and its inter-generational transfer, Marak addressed the students, saying, “We should be encouraging our people to follow traditional food systems in order to attain food security. North-East is a hot region for biodiversity. Be the ambassadors of your own food systems.” She continued her talk with career scopes in the field of nutrition and indigenous food systems, and possible future collaborations between NESFAS and the college, giving a ray of hope to all its students and faculty.
Marak also cited examples of the various works undertaken by NESFAS to promote and attain food security, such as the ongoing Agroecology Learning Circles (ALCs), Agrobiodiverity Walks, Farmers’ Market, Mei-Ramew (Mother Earth) Café, etc. Attaining food security and safeguarding indigenous peoples’ food systems have always remained the topmost goals of NESFAS since its inception.
Sharing her thoughts on the programme, Dr Chingakham Basanti Devi, Assistant Professor, Department of Food Science and Nutrition , said, “So many things are there, that inspite of teaching, we do not know. You have triggered it so now we would like to go and search for it. It is really an eye-opener for everybody here. We are looking forward that we will also be able to do much more in promoting indigenous food items.”
An elated Gebina Tamuk, a 3rd year student pursuing Nutrition as her subject was quoted as saying, “Today I feel really happy. I thought Food-Processing and Clinical work were the only options for us, but after today’s presentation, now I can think of many other career choices too. We have never attended these kinds of programmes here as most of them are Community Science related and there was little scope for us Nutrition students. Hence I feel a lot light-hearted knowing that our subject has a very broad scope.”
